You Amuse Me
by Frog-Lizard
Summary: Frog: Marietta has always been a bit of a clutz, and though she'd like to get better at balance, she's decided there's no help. But all hope is not lost, for a Muse, from the kindess of her heart, has decided to assist her. Need pairings!
1. Personification of Grace

Disclimer: I don't own anything from Radiata Stories. And yes I know I need a better summary XP

Frog: Open Office isn't working for me at the moment for some reason, so I can't type the chapters I was working on *sniff*, and then the plot bunnies started closing in and attacked me, and now look what happened! I started yet another tale! What on earth is wrong with me!!!!

*takes a deep, steadying breath* But putting that aside, I'm happy to announce my first Radiata Stories, er story! I know this section doesn't have much when it comes to reviews, sadly, so I'll try to read more of what's here later. This story is kind of a better variation of a plot idea I had about a year ago for RS. And then the game got stuck in a carrying case, and I forgot to take it out, and I started playing Odin Sphere. So it wasn't till yesterday that I started playing Radiata Stories again, and the river of ideas started flowing. I obviously haven't finished it yet, but I more or less know how it ends. And this has nothing to do with the games plot anywho. At the moment, I have no pairing in mind, so if you have any favorite pairings that you'd like to see, either for Marietta or anyone else really, just let me know in a review. Just make sure they're guyxgirl. But I _DO _love crack pairings if you have them XD They're so much fun!

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Marietta sighed heavily as she carefully made her way down the steps to the storage room. Curtis had caught her as she was leaving her last class, and asked her to fetch him some materials. She was concentrating so hard on not tripping and falling, that she actually did...trip...and fall...

"Ow..." the young woman groaned tiredly, rolling into a seated position to rub her now bruising knee. Why did _she _have to be the one to go to the storage room. Of all people, it _had _to be her...

She stood back up, dusting off the front of her robes as she walked into the tiny closet-like room. Wrinkling her nose, she tried to remember exactly where Curtis had said the items were. Finally she spotted a promising looking box, and carefully lifted it from the shelf. Great, just great. It was heavy. It'd take her an hour to get all the way up to the 1st floor. You can imagine how long it would take her to get all the way up to the observatory. She noticed a few things had fallen from the box when she moved it, and reached back up onto the shelf to grab them, bumping a small wooden box in the process, resulting in a small chime.

Startled, Marietta quickly put the object back in the big box, and then reached for the little one. It was pretty plain looking, and dusty. Upon further investigation, she determined it must be a music box of some sort. After debating with herself a moment, she finally decided not to open it just yet. This was Vareth, after all. Who knows what might be inside. But she was still curious, so she put it in the bigger box with the rest of the supplies, and started the long voyage up the stairs. Fortunately for her, it was pretty uneventful, and she managed to make it.

"Ah, thank you, Marietta. You're a big help," Curtis stated, not looking up from his book. Marietta set the box down in the corner, and swallowed hard as she took out the music box.

"Your welcome, sir," she bowed as much as she dared for fear that she might fall over by accident, "But if you don't mind me asking, do you know what this is?"

He glanced up at her, and she extended the small box to him. A faint shimmer of recognition flashed in his eyes, and he gingerly took it from her, looking over it a few times. He then proceeded to open it, making sure that Marietta could see.

As the lid was lifted, a statuette of a beautiful girl in a flowing gown rose up from within the box, and twirled slowly as a soothing tune washed over the room. Marietta gasped in delight. It was gorgeous. A little dusty, and in need of some polishing, but still a stunning peice of work. The girl that danced in the box's center looked so real, too. She had shoulder length dusty blond hair, and that was barely a shade darker than her own. Her silver dress was long, but simple, and swirled around her gently.

"You like it?" the headmaster of Vareth's question cut her out of her trance, a rare smile passing over his features.

"It's very lovely, sir," Marietta admitted with a blush, shuffling her feet.

"This was donated to us, long, long ago, when my hair still had color," Curtis began, as Marietta tried her best to imagine what that looked like, "The young man that gave it to us, said it had magical properties, though he had never seen them himself. But try as we might, we were never able to figure out if that was true or not. As far as I'm concerned, it's likely just a plain old music box," he shook his head, and then turned back to her, "So if you like it, you're most welcome to keep it. Who knows. If there _is _something supernatural about this little chest, _you _just might discover it easier in daily use than I could in all my testing."

"Really? I can?" Marietta asked excitedly. She didn't have very many nice things. Just one would be so wonderful.

"But of course," Curtis smiled again, handing the box back to her.

"Oh thank you sir! I'll take very good care of it!" Marietta bowed, her face absolutely glowing with delight.

"You're welcome, child" his smile disappeared, and his usual gruff demeaner returned, "Now if you'll excuse me, I have important research to attend to."

"Yes sir," Marietta quietly took her leave, almost falling halfway down the stairs in her haste. She caught herself on the railing just in time to save herself from another infermary visit, and rushed back to her apartment. It almost slid from her fingers once, as she was leaving the institute, but she managed to hold onto it. Once safely inside her room, she found a steady place on her desk to put the music box, and opened it carefully. The tinkling tone of the music made her dull apartment seem just a little bit brighter, and she started changing into some more casual wear for the evening. She then picked up an extra hankerchief and went to clean the music box a bit.

However, upon returning to it, she found that the statue was missing. She blinked a few times, hoping she was just imagining it. But the dancer was...just gone! She felt like she was standing there for an hour before an accented voice at her ear caused her to jump.

"Hm...a little messy isn't it. Sorry, haven't had a chance to clean."

"Wha!" Marietta shrieked as she turned to her side and saw the dancing girl floating in the air beside her. She stumbled backward onto her bed as the being burst out in bell-like laughter.

"Sorry I had to appear so abrubtly. But I've been stuck in that box for years, and haven't been able to move," the tiny woman smiled, landing daintily on the edge of the box.

Marietta could only stare at her a moment, open mouthed, "But Professor Curtis said..."

"Now do you _really _think I was about to let that scholary type know about me? I'm not about to be someone's test subject, dear. It just isn't fitting."

"Then...why come out now?" Marietta sat up a little more, finally catching her breath.

The little person stuck her nose in the air defiantly, "One, because I'm tired of doing nothing. Two, because you almost _dropped _me on the way here!"

"Ah..." Marietta paused, thinking about what to say, "Sorry..."

The other girl wasn't satisfied, "Hmph! You have no center of balance whatsoever! How are you not wrapped up in bandages?!"

"I'm not _that _clumsy!" Marietta huffed, then thought for a moment, "Am I?"

The woman tapped her chin daintily, "...Just about."

Marietta glared at her, "And who are _you _to judge?"

"Me?" the being laughed again, and Marietta could almost make out the arrogant smirk playing on her face, "I just so happen to be the Muse of Dance! I am the very _personification _of gracefullness."

The red-haired girl gulped, "Are you serious?"

"But of course!" the tiny woman then proceeded to walk along the narrow edge of the box effortlessly, and just to show off, did a pirouette.

Marietta tried hard not to glare, but she wasn't sure it worked judging by the slightly amused look on the small girl's face. However, she couldn't quite curb her curiousity, and knelt down next to her desk so that she was close to eye-level with this "Muse". She thought through a list of questions she could ask.

"So are you like a fairy?" she decided to go with that first. Seeing as sometimes they had trouble with fairies.

"No, not really. I'm of a much rarer and more...incredible "race", for lack of a better term," the muse shrugged, still manageing to look elegant.

"So what's a muse then?"

"A muse," the tiny girl sighed, looking at her nails, "Is a personification of something. We inspire people, and guide them if we so choose. Sort of like your subconsious, but attractive, and no one will call you crazy for talking to yourself."

"And you're the personification of gracefullness, right?" Marietta zoned out a bit as she tried to process the information.

"Isn't that what I said?" the muse rolled her eyes, and crossed her arms, "And, since I'm here and all, and you were so kind as to let me out of that dreadful storage room, I shall inspire _you _to be graceful...Well, at least as graceful as can be hoped for..."

"Y-you'd do that?" Marietta felt her eyes grow wide. She wasn't sure how much she liked this...muse so far, but if she could really help her be less of a clutz, she could put up with it.

"That's kind of what we muses live for," the small girl shook her head, "And so from now on, I shall call you whatever I please, but for reference sake, I'd like to know your name."

"I-I'm Marietta," the red-haired girl introduced, inclining her head a bit, and almomst bumping her nose into the desk in the process. She heard the muse sighed tiredly.

"Well, at least you have a pretty name," the blond muttered under her breath, not caring if she was heard or not, "You will call me Miss Anthea. Understood?"

"Um, yes. Miss Anthea," Marieatta stood up, and bowed fully as she made sure she could say the name right, "Will you be fine sleeping in you box? Or would you like another bed?"

"Hm..." Anthea looked over her box a moment, and then gestured to the hankerchief Marietta had dropped on the floor, "It should be fine. But I'd at least like that for some added comfort."

"Of course," the human girl picked it up for her, and tried to arrange it nicely in the box. Anthea wasn't satisfied however, and quickly changed it to her liking. Which wasn't much differant, but Marietta had already decided that this particular Muse was likely to be high maintence anyways, and just hoped she was prepared to handle it.

Unfortunatly for her, Muses are _not _known for being easy to work with.

* * *

Frog: So how is it so far? I know Anthea is being a bit of a snob, but well, you'll just have to wait and see ;) Hopefully the story is pretty good so far. I know it's not one of my best, but I have some plans for it. Anywho, Open Office finally opened up like **3 **hours after I clicked on it. I think it's out laptop. It's just getting old. But I digress. Just a reminder, if you have any suggestions for pairings, I'd love it if you'd let me know! I'm open to just about everything. And even if you don't have a pairing suggestion, I'd appreciate it if you'd review anyways. Thank you! Bye!


	2. The Pocket Parasite

Disclaimer: I don't own anything here except for Anthea.

Frog: I apologize for the delay in updating (not that it appears anyone cares), I have college classes to attend to, so finding time to write can be a bit hard. Also I'm very sad that I haven't gotten any reveiws. Over 30 people looked at it (not sure how many actually read it), and no one commented.... Oh well, I'll keep posting anyways. Oh and yes I got the part with Anthea writing with her feet from Tinkerbell ;)

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Marietta was up bright and early the next morning. She made her bed and brushed through her fairly long red hair before putting it up in the usual double buns she wore everyday. She had almost completely forgotten about Anthea, having dismissed it as a dream in her still sleepy mind, until she went looking for a cloth to wash her face with, and found it being used as the muse's second blanket.

With a slight grimace, she tried nudging Anthea's tiny form with her finger. The small girl mewed in complaint and rolled over onto her stomache. Marietta tried poking her again, this time a little harder. Anthea squeaked in pain and glared daggers at her.

"How dare you! I am a _very _fragile, delicate creature! You can't just dig your log of a finger into my side like that!!" she huffed.

Marietta averted her eyes briefly, "S-sorry. You just wouldn't wake up. May I use that washcloth?"

"What? This?" the small girl asked, holding up her _"blanket"._

"Yes. Please?"

"What if I want to sleep some more?"

"Anthea, I need to wash my face! If you really _do _need more sleep, then use my bed," Marietta offered hopefully.

The muse rolled her eyes, "It's _Miss _Anthea, if you don't mind. Fine, here," she handed her the washcloth, and muttered under her breath, "Good luck."

Marietta stared at her in shock, a small blush coming to her cheeks. She didn't look that horrible this morning, right? She rushed to the bathroom, leaving Anthea to do as she pleased.

The red-haired girl studied her reflection in the only old mirror she had. Nope, she looked about the same as she did every morning. She was going to have to get used to Anthea's blunt manner of speaking, since at the moment it was unlikely she'd be able to get the muse to leave. With a small groan she washed her face, dressed in her school uniform, and arranged her jewelry and make-up.

Upon returning to her bedroom/living room she found that Anthea had opened and emptied just about every drawyer and cuboard that wasn't locked shut.

"What are you doing?!"she gasped, looking around in horror at the clothing and utincils scattered about the floor. Well...at least now she knew where the comb she borrowed from Leona a few months ago was...

"You are _dreadfully _unorganized! We'll have to fix this as soon as you get home from class," Anthea scolded as though speaking to a child.

"B-but why? I knew where everything was...mostly."

The muse sighed heavily, putting her hands on her hips, "I simply cannot work like this, that's why."

"I don't think _anyone _can work like-like _this_!" Marietta pointed at the mess on the floor.

"Exactly! I really don't see the differance between a mess in your closet and a mess on your carpet. They are both _messes_, you just never realized it until I brought it to your attention. Ugh, no wonder you can't walk straight. Once your things are in order, your feet should follow...hopefully."

Marietta just sighed, seriously considering stuffing the little girl back in her box, and returning it to the institute. Or even better, send it to Void and let them deal with her. She'd _love _it there. Satisfied by the cruel acts in her head that she would never actually have the courage to go through with, she grabbed her book-bag, "I've got to get to school. There's some studying I need to do in the library," she mumbled.

"Very well then! Let us be off!" Anthea chimed, floating to the human girl's pocket, and situating herself comfortably inside.

"You're coming!?!" _oh gods help me..._

"Of course! How can you be inspired to walk with grace and elegance if I'm not there to do the inspiring?"

"Oh..." Marietta tried to hide her grimace, "Fine. But absolutely _no _talking, and stay hidden!"

"Yes, yes, yes. Whatever you say. Now, to the magic institute!" Anthea pointed to the door. Marietta shoved her further into her pocket, causing the muse to utter a muffled yelp.

Marietta carefully made her way down the stairs, and out the door. She started down the street, trying hard not to think about Anthea and all the problems she was already beginning to predict involving the little muse, and instead tried to concentrate on her upcoming class and not tripping over herself. Maybe that would cause the muse would go away sooner.

"At least you have good posture," came the voice of her pocket parasite, "Unlike that fellow."

Marietta unwillingly glanced down at her to see the muse pointing straight ahead at Ernest as he entered the front doors of Vareth in front of her. She whipped her head back to Anthea.

"Didn't I tell you to be quiet?! _No talking!!_ Someone might here you!" she hissed quietly.

"Whatever..." Anthea muttered, slinking back into her pocket.

Marietta sighed and looked up at the sky. If that...thing spoke during class, or where anyone could hear her for that matter, she would never be able to explain the situation, and possible not be able to show her face--Eep!

She tripped over the grate in the road with a small shriek.

"Watch your step, dear," Anthea chided softly from deep within her pocket.

"A little late," Marietta grumbled more to herself than her quote-unquote "muse". She pushed herself up off the ground and brushed off her uniform as best she could. Not that it helped much, but people were used to seeing her with stains and dirt on her clothes.

Not that Anthea knew or understood that....

"Wait, wait, wait, wait, **wait**!" the muse cried, darting out of her pocket and to Marietta's eyelevel, "I _forbid _you from looking like a horse ran over you in public!"

"It's not a big deal! People are used to it," Marietta snapped defencively, quickly plucking her out of the air before anyone saw her. She put the muse back in her pocket, this time holding her there, covering her mouth with her fingers as she hurried inside the school. She looked around nervously to make sure no one had seen and rushed inside the school.

"Good morning Marietta," Roche greeted, smiling her usual smile.

"Morning Roche," Marietta smiled back, trying hard to not look as flustered as she felt. She rushed upstairs to the to the library to do some last minute studying. Upon arriving she paused to catch her breath, finger still pressed firmly to Anthea's mouth as the muse gave up on struggling and resorted to seething hot air so that Marietta knew she was quite upset.

Marietta quietly greeted Leanne who gave her no response and then hurried to her regular seat. Looking around, she quietly took Anthea out of her pocket as she set some of her books down on the desk. Much to her relief, Anthea didn't speak, and instead just glared hatefully at her as though she had just been beaten. Marietta gave her a sheepish smile and took out a piece of paper, writing down the word _"sorry"_ on it. Anthea watched her, completely still except for her eyes. She didn't look too pleased. After a moment, she loosened her stance and crawled up onto the inkwell where she delicately dipped her feet just enough into the ink to wet them, and then jumped delicately down to the paper and easily wrote her response with dance-like movements, creating elegant scripted letters.

All she wrote was _"Whatever",_ and Marietta sighed. At least the muse knew to be quiet now, however reluctantly.

_"Well if you're quiet, then I won't have to do that again"_ the red-haired girl wrote back. Anthea fumed again, looking about ready to scream, and Marietta winced hoping she hadn't just made a mistake.

But again, Anthea restrained her tongue and started writing her reply. _"I'm being quiet now, aren't I?! This _is _a library after all!"_

Marietta smiled at her, almost mockingly. _"I know! Thank you!" _Anthea just rolled her eyes at her, and started writing again.

_"You owe me a new pair of shoes."_

Marietta giggled, causing Leanne and Felix to both look at her strangely, wondering what she must be reading. She blushed, and lowered her head, quickly scribbled an _"ok"_ on the paper before hurrying back to her school books. For once, Anthea's voice was pleasently absent, but every few minutes she would write something down, and Marietta would have to reply to it so there was no threat of the muse getting annoyed and actually speaking. Still, reading complaints and rude comments was just about as annoying as hearing them, having to read things like:

_"It's far too damp in here, it's bad for my complexion."_

_"Ugh, I think there's someone hiding in the trashcan!"_

_"It's getting too hot in here, the lights are too bright!"_

_"Your hair is a mess, you know? How on earth can you stand to walk in public like that?"_

_"Are those grass stains?"_

_"The librarian needs to sit up straighter."_

_"That girl doesn't wear enough make-up."_

Marietta sighed quietly, and wrote back a reply on the now almost full sheet of paper she and Anthea had been using to communicate. _"That's because_ she,_ is a_ he_." _The look on Anthea's place was priceless, and she was so startled by this new information that she could barely write out her reply.

_"Oh that poor dear. I bet I could help him with that."_

Marietta raised an eyebrow at her, scribbling _"I take it your an expert on appearences as well?"_

_"Haven't you been listening to me at all!?! Why would I be trying to give you so much advice if I _wasn't _an expert?"_

The red haired girl shook her head tiredly. _"Sorry, I guess all I've been getting is rude critism."_

_"It's called CONSTRUCTIVE critisim, dear!"_

Already, Marietta could just hear what that must sound like if she were actually being spoken to. She picked up her pen again to respond, but happened to glance at the clock before actually doing so and gasped, and pen falling from her hand, and nearly staining Anthea's dress. Something which the muse was none to happy about, and she screamed. Everyone glanced up at the red-haired girl, somewhat used to this. Sure the scream was new, but it wasn't necessarily unexpected. That girl was almost always late.

Once again, Anthea was shoved into her pocket, much to her dismay as Marietta hurriedly gathered her things, and rushed out of the library. She was running so fast down the stairs that by the time she got to the main floor, she lost her balance on the last step and fell. Roche gave her a sympathetic smile, not the least bit surprised, as the red-haired student staggered to her feet and then headed for her class.

She arrived, panting in the doorway, just as Derek was about to start class. He gave her a cold, disappointed look, and continued writing on the chalkboard as she took her seat next to Faurus without a word. A brief glance at her pocket, and she saw that Anthea appeared to have fainted. When, she wasn't sure. But at least she knew she wouldn't be hearing from the muse for a little while.

Class limped by slowly, and Marietta often found herself zoning out and ignoring the teacher's voice. She felt more tired today than she normally did, and if Anthea didn't get it through her head that there was not likely to be any hope for Marietta, then this would probably become something she'd have to get used to.

"Marietta!" Derek's loud voice cut through her thoughts, making her to jump, and some frazzled movements in her pocket. She looked at him blinking, and Faurus rolled his eyes.

"Um...yes sir?" she asked shyly, biting her lip. Derek sighed in exasperation.

"I asked you to please answer the formula on the board," he replied, his voice taught. Anthea snorted, but fortunately, no one else seemed to hear her. Marietta studied the complicated-looking mix of figures on the board. _Now if only Derek had better handwriting._

"I-I'm afraid I don't know, sir," she blushed, looking down at her lap.

"Why am I not surprised. Faurus, would you do it then?"

The other student nodded and began to explain. Marietta barely managed to listen to him, and was able to gather enough for it to all make sense. He finished, and went back to reading his school book, and Marietta pointedly made sure she wasn't looking even remotely in the teacher's general direction as he continued the class.

Finally class was over. Marietta gathered up her things, and was the first one to leave without so much as a word to anyone else other than Roche, and that was only a "see you tomorrow". She made her way down the street, debating on whether or not she should head home or get some grocery shopping done.

"Can I talk now?" and then there was _that_...

Marietta sighed heavily, checking to make sure no one was looking, "If you must."

Anthea poked her head out, blowing some hair out of her face, "Where are you going? We have to reorganize your room, remember," the little muse chided. The red-haired girl groaned.

"Listen, Anthea, it's nothing personal, but I haven't exactly had the best of days, and kind of just want to relax for now..."

Anthea sighed, "Very well. Let's take a walk then."

"A what?" Marietta looked down at her in surprise to make sure she had heard correctly.

"Right, you don't know what walking _is_, do you," the muse muttered sarcastically, "It will do you know good to be stressed. You'll age faster that way."

Marietta thought about it a moment. Maybe it would be nice to go on a walk, at least for a little while. Just a ways outside of Radiata, not far. She could handle pesky bugs and rats if they decided to attack her. And there she could maybe just take a few deep breaths, and not have to worry about anyone seeing Anthea for once.

"You know what, Anthea. I think that's the best idea I've heard from you yet," she chuckled, turning off her regular route toward one of the town gates.

"You think you're so cute, don't you?" Anthea grumbled, glaring up at her.

* * *

Frog: Please, please, _please_ review! I'd really like some input. And I still need pairings! At least for Marietta, but pairings for pretty much any other character is fine too. I know you guys have to have pairings you like! Also, thanks for still reading this, it lets me know it must be worth something, even if you don't review (which makes me sad, because you don't even have to have an account to do it XP)

Have a nice day everyone! Bye!


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